In Urban Scrawl (2013), I sought to uncover a new form of self-expression, a language that found its roots in graffiti but became something else entirely. I layered encaustic and street-artist ink, carving and splattering the surfaces of my canvasses to juxtapose thriving cities and broken landscapes, spare beginnings and elaborate ends. The result was a vibrant montage of textures, strokes, and colors—an abstracted reflection of the chaotic and dynamic scenes that were the impetus behind this work.

As an ardent observer, I drew inspiration from my taxi rides over the Manhattan Bridge—the deafening noise of a hundred different languages, the massive warehouses covered in colorful tags, and the wild, raw feeling of crossing into a new world. I remembered the beautiful, sprawling cacophony of South Africa, the jarring disconnect between dilapidated shantytowns and shiny new BMW dealerships, the effusive energy that filled the air. I looked back on the boarded-up farm steads and dilapidated steel mills I’ve encountered on trail rides and road trips, the imagery of crumbling concrete and weather-worn billboards—not urban, yet covered in graffiti, as if the life of the city was somehow leaking into the broken-down landscape.

My three previous series, Youngstown,Honest Work, and Whitewash, laid the foundation for Scrawl, which combines the brilliant colors, grid system, and bold, loose lines of its predecessors to create an entirely new perspective. Scrawl is another step forward in the push and pull between my materials and my intentions, but the discordance exposes a common denominator; whether you’re in a metropolis exploding with energy or in an atrophying rural landscape, there will always be graffiti. It is a universal language, the embodiment of deep-seated unrest, of hope, of frustration, and of the undying desire for emancipation. It is a voice that wants to be heard, a medium that can turn any rusted surface into a work of art.

In the end, that’s what Urban Scrawl is meant to be; an undeniable expression of self, a challenge and an invitation, a mark I make on the world.

Aaron has also exhibited nationally in California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Florida, Michigan, Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, Georgia, New Mexico, and Nebraska. Her work is held in national and international private and public collections. Most recent public collections include: Milehouse, Denver, CO, Sysco, Boulder, CO, Icon Venue, Denver, CO.

Public art commissions include work for the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Englewood, IGW Records in Littleton, CO and the Tobacco Free Kids Campaign in Washington D.C.

Aaron’s work was awarded Best of Show at This is Colorado art exhibit at the Madden Museum of Art 2011 for her painting, Youngstown, circa 1966. She was also the recipient of an Honorable Mention at the Best of 2011 Art District of Santa Fe, Denver, CO and Juror’s Choice Award at the All Colorado exhibit at Curtis Arts and Humanities Center, Greenwood Village, CO. Patricia placed as a Finalist in the Abstract and Experimental category in The Artist’s Magazine 28th Annual National Competition.

Aaron holds a M.F.A. degree from University of Denver School of Art and Art History and a B.S. degree from University of Maryland, Heidelberg, Germany.